Mixed Vegetable/Mixed Dhal Vada!

 

 

                                      Mixed vegetables/Mixed Dhal Vada

I seem to do this vada often at home during festivals and when I have guests at home! Everybody's favourite! Not very difficult to prepare also! Try it!

Ingredients:

 For soaking for half an hour:

 1 Cup Channa dhal

 1/2 cup Thuvar dhal

 1/4 cup Urad dhal

 Add these while grinding:

 5/6 /cashews

 5 to 8 Red chillies

 3/4 Green Chillies

 Few pieces of coconut

 1" ginger

 Finely chopped vegetables for adding with the batter: 

 1/2 cup Capsicum

 1/2 cup Cabbage (This veg. gives a unique taste)

 1/2 cup carrot 

 Curry leaves and coriander leaves.

 And

 2 tsp. of Ghee for flavour and crispness 

 1/2 tsp. of sugar and enough salt.

 For frying:

 I use unrefined groundnut oil for frying. 

 Method:

Grind all the ingredients together coarsely.  Add the vegetables, ghee, salt and sugar.  Mix well.

Heat oil well, then reduce the flame a bit.  Make balls out of the batter, flatten it and drop into the oil one by one.  Wait till the bubbles come down.  Take it out and put in a paper napkin.  Chillies and salt can be reduced or added as per your taste.  

Finely chopped onions can be added to the batter to make it taste like masaal vada.  Add a bit beaten saunf also.  The taste will be heavenly.  

 

Just drop a line after trying this snack, if you like it! Thank you!

Simple Tomato Soup!

We have different types of soups every night at home.  I have already posted 'Mixed vegetable soup' here: 

This one is one of the favourites of our family:

Ingredients:

1. 2 tomatoes, chopped

2. 4/5 Shallots (Saambaar vengaayam) or normal onion, chopped

3. 4/5 cloves of garlic, chopped

4. 1 carrot, peeled and chopped

5. A small piece of capsicum (just for flavour)

6. 2 Bay leaves

7. 1/2 tbs. butter.

8. 2 tsp. of Milk powder to give a creamy taste.

9. 1/2 tsp. Sugar, Salt and Pepper as per your taste.

Method:

Take a small pan.  Heat it. Put the butter.  

Add the Bay leaves (cut into small pieces), turn a bit.  

Add Onion, Garlic and fry a bit.  

Add capsicum, carrot pieces and the rest of the ingredients. Fry some more.  

Add sugar and salt.  Add a cup of water.  

Put a lid on the pan and cook for 5 mts.  Let it cool.

Put all these ingredients in a mixer and grind. Add the milk powder in the last run.

Strain in a strainer, not tea strainer but in a strainer with a bit big holes. You can add water, around 3/4 cups or according to your taste.  Thin soup or a bit thick soup!

Boil it, add pepper powder.  

Garnish with fresh coriander leaves! Your tasty soup is ready! 

Try it and tell me if you like it!

P.S.: Variants: You can add a few drumstick leaves or methi leaves while cooking the ingredients.  It will give a different flavour.